Comfort device for foot stirrups of physician&#39;s examining table



July 1, 1969 R R 3,452,978

COMFORT DEVICE FOR FOOT STIRRUPS OF PHYSI CIANS EXAMINING TABLE FiledMarch 15, 1967 I N VEN'TOR. RAYMOND c. CREELM/l/Y United States PatentOffice U.S. Cl. 269-328 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device foruse on the foot stirrups of a physicians examining table whereby thepatients feet are made more comfortable as she applies them to thestirrups. Each device comprises a sleeve which is applied about thestirrup ring so as to stretch a seat or saddle of flexible coveringmaterial across the breadth of the ring, against which the patient mayapply her foot, and in particular the heel of her foot, while using thestirrup. Ordinarily the sleeve also operates to interpose a pad ofcushioning material between the patients foot and either or both of thecross bars at the top and bottom of the ring.

Field of the invention This invention relates to a comfort device foruse with the foot stirrups of a physicians examining table; and moreparticularly, to a device for providing a broader base of support and/orcushioning for each of the patients feet as she applies them to thestirrups.

When undergoing a pelvic or other such examination on a physiciansexamining table, the patient is commonly instructed to place her feet inor against a set of stirrup rings mounted on posts swiveled intooutlying positions at the sides of the table. Each stirrup ringordinarily has a U-shaped lower configuration with generally uprightlegs, and a straight horizontal cross bar at the top. For the purposesof the invention, the bight of the U may also be regarded as a crossbar, and in use the patient may apply the instep of her foot to eitherof these bars, or she may attempt to rest the heel of her foot in thebight of the ring while applying the ball of her foot against the uppercross bar. In either case, she experiences some discomfort due to thecold metallic nature of the stirrups and the rigidity with which theyresist the pressure of her feet.

One object of the present invention is to devise a sleeve for each ofthe stirrup rings whereby a strip or panel of flexible covering materialis drawn across the gap between the upright legs of the ring so as toform a seat or saddle for the heel or other portion of the patientsfoot. Another object is to devise means for applying the sleeve to thering whereby the sleeve is prevented from shifting with respect to thegap when in use. A still further object is, to devise means whereby apad of cushioning material can be interposed between the patients footand either or both of the cross bars at the top and the bottom of thering. Other objects include the provision of a sleeve of this naturewhich is sturdily constructed, easily mounted and demounted on and fromthe ring, to withstand many years of use; and in addition, warmly andattractively finished, and readily sanitized for use by differentpatients. Still further objects will become apparent from thedescription of the invention which follows.

Summary of the invention These objects and advantages are realized by acomfort device of my invention which comprises a panel of flexiblecovering material and a web of binder material extending across the backof the panel and interconnected with opposite sides of the same so as toform a sleeve which is adapted to fit about the stirrup ring. The devicealso in- 3,452,978 Patented July 1, 1969 eludes means for securing thesleeve on the ring so that the panel is drawn across the gap between theupright legs of the same to form a seat for the heel or other portion ofthe patients foot. Preferably the panel is equipped with a pad ofcushioning material for interposition between the patients foot andeither or both of the cross bars at the top and bottom of the ring.However, the pad may be a separate item which is applied over either orboth of the bars in advance of the sleeve.

There are various ways of securing the sleeve about the ring inrequisite fashion. For example, the sleeve may be elastic in nature sothat it can be slipped about the legs of the ring, and allowed to gripthe ring in the manner of a sock. Or the sleeve may be a looser fit, yetform-fitting so that it grips the ring as the panel is flexed. In thelatter case, the sleeve normally requires means to prevent it fromslipping off of the ring when not in use. Certain preferred embodimentsof the invention, for example, are equipped with a flap of bindermaterial which extends across the upper end of the sleeve to preventthat end from slipping downwardly over the ring. In addition, the lowerend of the sleeve is contracted, as by a drawstring or contouring in thesleeve, to prevent this other end from passing upwardly over the ring.However, to enable the resulting envelope to be mounted and demounted inthe absence of a drawstring, some portion of the device, as for examplethe panel or the flap, is detachably connected, for example, to the webso that an enlarged opening can be formed by which to slip the sleeve onand off of the rrng.

Description of the preferred embodiments These and other features of theinvention will be better understood by referring to the accompanyingdrawing which illustrates certain preferred embodiments of theinvention.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical physiciansexamining table, including a pair of stirrups for the patients feet;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the stirrup rings, togetherwith a perspective view of a comfort device for the ring which embodiescertain features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the comfort device in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the device when mounted on the stirrupring and in use by the patient;

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of a modified comfort deviceembodying features of the invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the modification in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 1, the table 2 is equipped with a pair of stirrups 4 which arehingedly mounted on one end of the table, to be swung into outlyingpositions suitable to the patient and physician. Each stirrup has aswinging arm 6 and a revolving post 8, and the post supports a stirrupring 10 at its top. The posts are journaled in collars 12 fixed on theends of the arms, and the arms in turn are journaled in collars 14 onthe table. Each of the four collars has a set screw 16 and together thearms and posts enable the physician to position the stirrup rings atwhatever location is convenient and comfortable for the patient.

Heretofore the patient has applied her feet, generally the insteps ofher feet, against the cross bars 18 (FIG- URE 2) at the tops of therings 10. However, for many patients the narrow diameter of the crossbar creates a line of pressure across her instep which is particularlyuncomfortable because the instep is a tender area of the foot, and anarea to which pressure is seldom applied in normal use. Similarly, thelower cross bar formed by the bight 20 of the ring forms a line ofpressure which is un- 3 comfortable to the tendons leading downwardly tothe butt of the heel, when the heel is rested in the bight of the ring.Therefore, in order to avoid either discomfort, the patient must applythe ball of her foot or her heel against either cross bar, but this isdifficult to do for any length of time.

To overcome this problem, a comfort device such as is illustrated in thedrawing may be applied about each of the rings to place a cushioning padbetween the cross bars and the tender areas of the patients foot, aswell as to provide a flexible seat against which the patient may applyher heel to take some of the pressure off of these areas. Each devicecomprises a strip of natural or artificial leather which is inwardlytapered at the ends and made into an envelope 22 for application overthe ring. In FIGURES 2-4, the strip is folded over onto itself and sewntogether at the edges along the far side 24. The edges of the nearerside 26 are detachably interconnected by a mechanical zipper 28, andboth the sewing and the zipper are terminated at the lower end of theenvelope so that an opening 30 remains at the end to accommodate thestirrup post 8. Thus when the device is mounted on the ring and thezipper is drawn down along the length of the nearer side, the envelopeclamps about the ring in oblate form-fitting manner and resists removalso long as the zipper remains closed.

The device is so mounted in FIGURE 4. As seen, the front and back panelsof the strip, when joined by the zipper and the sewing, form a sleeveabout the upright legs of the ring, and the closer front panel 32 actsas a flexible seat for the heel of the patients foot. The back panel 34(FIGURE 3) on the other hand, acts as a binder web which is placed intension when the patient applies her heel to the front panel; while theflap 36 of material across the bight of the strip, and the contractedformfitting configuration of the lower end 38 of the envelope, preventthe envelope from slipping off of the ring.

The device also has the additional features of cushioning the instep ofthe foot as it is applied against the upper cross bar 18. The frontpanel 32 is lined with a pad 40 of foam rubber or other such cushioningmaterial which may be adhesively bonded or otherwise secured to theinner face of the panel. When the device is mounted over the ring, thepad is disposed abreast of the cross bar 18 to cushion the instep of thefoot in the manner of FIG- URE 4.

Likewise, if the patient rests her heel in the bight 20 of the ring, thepad 40 also serves to cushion it against this cross bar of the ring.

envelope 22 is opened for mounting and demounting by folding back theflap 36 at the bight of the envelope, which in this case is detachablyconnected to the front panel 32' so that it can be opened in the mannerof FIGURE 6. To secure the flap to the panel when the envelope ismounted on the ring, the mutually opposing surfaces of the flap and thepanel have Velcro bonding strips 42 'which interengage with one anotherin well known manner. Obviously snap attachments and other suchfastening means may be used in lieu of the Velcro strips.

Similarly, other changes and additions may be made in and to theinvention without departing from the scope and spirit of the same asdefined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a physicians examing table having stirrup ringsthereon with cross bars against which a patient may apply her feet, anda comfort device applied about each of the stirrup rings including a padof cushioning material disposed abreast of one of the cross bars and asleeve for retaining the pad on the ring.

2. In combination, a physicians examining table having stirrup ringsthereon with upright legs and cross bars Should an attendant wish toremove the device, the

zipper 28 permits him to do so. However, the embodiment in FIGURES 5 and6 illustrates another technique whereby the device can be removablyapplied about the ring. Referring again to FIGURE 1, it will be notedthat each post 8 can be removed from its corresponding arm by looseningthe set screw 16 on the collar 12. According to the modified form ofFIGURES 5 and 6, the

against which a patient may apply her feet, and a comfort device appliedabout each of the stirrup rings including a panelled sleeve secured onthe ring so that the panel is drawn across the gap between the legs ofthe same to form a seat for the heel or other portion of the patientsfoot.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the panel has a pad ofcushioning material abreast of one of the cross bars.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the sleeve is applied inform-fitting manner about the legs of the ring and has a flap of bindermaterial across its upper end and a contracted lower end, so as toenvelope the ring, and there are means on the device for forming anenlarged opening by which to slip the sleeve on and off of the ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,138,305 5/1915 Miller l5--2471,203,042 10/1916 Parnass 22398 X 1,622,313 3/1927 Gellhorn 2693283,299,451 1/1967 Trogdon 5337 3,308,504 4/1968 Green 15-247 X FOREIGNPATENTS 1,211,788 10/1959 France.

426,542. 4/ 1935 Great Britain.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

JAMES F. MCKEOWN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

